🐇Dust Bunny (2025): Cast, Plot, Release Date, Review & Where to Watch – Mads Mikkelsen Faces Monsters in Bryan Fuller’s Fantastical Horror Thriller

From the visionary creator of Hannibal and Pushing Daisies, Bryan Fuller steps behind the camera for his feature film directorial debut, bringing us a dark fairy tale wrapped in horror and crime. Dust Bunny is not just another monster movie—it’s a chilling blend of hitman noir, childhood fears, and surreal fantasy.

Premiering in the Midnight Madness program at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2025, the film creeps into U.S. theaters on December 12, 2025.

🌙 Premise – A Child’s Nightmare, A Killer’s Reality

Ten-year-old Aurora (Sophie Sloan) has a problem: the monster under her bed isn’t imaginary. She believes it has devoured her entire family. Desperate, she turns to her mysterious neighbor (Mads Mikkelsen)—a hitman who specializes in killing monsters of the human variety.

But guilt and suspicion complicate things. Could Aurora’s family have been murdered by assassins hunting him instead? Now, in order to protect the girl, the reluctant killer must confront not only a swarm of hired assassins but also the possibility that some monsters are terrifyingly real.

As Fuller twists the knife, the film balances the innocence of childhood fables with the brutality of adult violence.

🎭 Cast – Darkness Meets Legends

• Mads Mikkelsen – the enigmatic neighbor and hitman with demons of his own

• Sigourney Weaver – in a yet-undisclosed role, adding her iconic genre gravitas

• Sophie Sloan – as Aurora, the brave yet fragile girl at the heart of the story

• David Dastmalchian – bringing his signature eerie intensity

• Rebecca Henderson

• Sheila Atim

Mikkelsen’s icy charisma and Weaver’s commanding presence promise a face-off between two acting titans, while newcomer Sophie Sloan may just steal the film with raw emotional power.

🎬 Bryan Fuller’s Dark Imagination Unleashed

Known for blending the whimsical with the grotesque (Hannibal, American Gods), Bryan Fuller finally makes his long-awaited leap into feature filmmaking. With:

• Cinematography by Nicole Hirsch Whitaker, painting horror like gothic art

• Editing by Lisa Lassek (Avengers, The Cabin in the Woods) for razor-sharp tension

• A haunting score by Isabella Summers (Florence + the Machine)

Fuller promises a dreamlike horror-thriller that feels like Pan’s Labyrinth colliding with a John Wick-style hitman underworld.

🕯️ Themes – Monsters in the Dark

At its core, Dust Bunny asks one chilling question: What if the monsters children fear are the same ones adults try to bury?

Aurora’s belief in the beast under her bed collides with her neighbor’s bloody reality, creating a story where childhood terror, guilt, and violence blur into something both magical and nightmarish.

As Mikkelsen’s character mutters in the trailer: “Sometimes the monsters under your bed… are the same ones in your head.”

📅 Release and Streaming

• TIFF Premiere (Midnight Madness): September 9, 2025

• U.S. Theatrical Release: December 12, 2025

• Distributor: Lionsgate / Roadside Attractions

No official streaming date has been confirmed yet, but given Lionsgate’s release patterns, fans can expect a streaming announcement following the theatrical run.

✨ Cameo Spotlight

While details remain tightly sealed, Dust Bunny reportedly features a surprise cameo from a beloved horror icon, making its Midnight Madness debut even more buzzworthy. Fans of Fuller’s past works should also keep an eye out for Easter eggs referencing Hannibal and Pushing Daisies.

🔎 Final Thoughts – A Dark Fairy Tale for the Midnight Hour

With Mads Mikkelsen slaying monsters, Sigourney Weaver adding legendary weight, and Bryan Fuller crafting his most twisted story yet, Dust Bunny could be the breakout horror event of 2025.

It’s part childhood nightmare, part assassin thriller, and entirely a vision only Bryan Fuller could bring to life. Expect it to leave audiences asking: “What if the real monsters were closer than we ever imagined?”